Pocket billiards which, especially in the United States, is more popularly known as pool, is a game requiring considerable skill and knowledge, and acquired only after long hours of practice. In order to improve a players skill, a number of training devices and table accessories have been proposed for use by the player during practice and training sessions. The prior art shows a number of examples of such devices and accessories.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,887 discloses a guide utilizing spots and rings drawn on a table surface for teaching the aiming technique for pool shots, especially angle shots. U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,494 discloses a training device comprising a planar material placed on the playing surface having pre-arranged indicia for teaching angle shots. Mechanical devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,537,228 and 5,144,415 showing rebound angle indicators for teaching bank shots. Other mechanical training devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,220,122; 3,299,537; and 5,125,652.
In all games of pocket billiards or pool, a player seeks to pocket or sink an object ball (sometimes known as the called ball), and to leave the cue ball in good position for the next shot. However, no matter how skillful a player may become in the game of pool, he frequently has relatively poor position and his only plausible shot may be a carom shot. A carom shot, however, probably requires more skill and knowledge than most, if not all, other shots. As a consequence, a carom shot is not frequently employed by the player, especially the novice or amateur.
A carom shot, as this term is used in pocket billiards, is defined as a shot when the cue ball strikes the object ball or called ball (the ball intended to be pocketed), which in turn strikes or impacts another ball (known as the carom ball), and the object ball, impacting or glancing off the carom ball, is then directed to the pocket, or, as is commonly stated, the object ball is pocketed. In pocket billiards, there are three carom shots: namely, frozen carom, banking carom, and direct carom. In the first of these shots, known as the frozen carom, the object ball and carom ball, while at rest on the playing surface of the table, are touching or frozen. For this shot, the cue ball strikes the object ball, which is immediately driven or glanced off the carom ball, and the object ball is then pocketed. For the second carom shot, identified as the banking carom, the cue ball strikes the object ball which then banks off the cushion or rail, then strikes or glances the carom ball, and the object ball is then pocketed. In the third carom shot, identified as the direct carom, the cue ball strikes the object ball which strikes or impacts an edge of the carom ball, and this glance directs the object ball to the pocket.
From this definition of carom shots, and the description of the three types, it will be observed that these shots are relatively difficult. It is, however, a very useful shot, and probably requires more skill and practice than most other shots. It certainly is a shot that distinguishes the skilled player from the novice. However, the skill and proper aiming technique required for carom shots can be developed with practice and guidance.
This invention has therefore as its purpose to provide a training device or carom guide for teaching and practicing carom shots.
It is another object of my invention to provide such a carom guide that is useful as a teaching tool for all level of players.
It is another object of my invention to provide such a carom guide that is easy to use and to put into practice.